Oat-grader.



No. 660,232. Patented Oct. 23, I900.

F. E. WALSH.

OAT GRADER.

(Application filed Mar. 9, 1900.) i Model-1 ZSheets-Shsst l.

Patented Oct. 23, I900.

F. E. WALSH.

UAT GHADER.

(Application filed m. 9, 1000.

2 Shook-Sheet 2.

(no Model.)

dicated bythe arrow. This product falls to Iowa, have invented certain new and useful UNITED STATES I FRANCIS E. WALSH, OF

PATENT owes CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA.

OAT-GRADER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters latent No. 660,232, dated October 23, 1900.

Application filed March 9. 1900.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANCIS E. WALSH, a citizen of Great Britain, residing at Cedar Rapids, in the county of Linn and State of Improvements in Oat-Graders; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to milling machinery used for separation of grain from impurities or into distinct grades, with more particular reference to the grading of oats.

The object of the invention is to secure a thorough grading of the grain; and the invention consists in certain new combinations of apparatus and novel features of construction, as will fully hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1. is a side sectional View of a machine embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same as seen from the left of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the detail of the grading-apron. Fig. 4 is a side view of the same in connection with the sprocket-wheel which carries and actuates it. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal mid-section of the same. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section of a grain-catcher acting in conjunction with the apron, and Fig. 7 is a fragmentary top viewv of the same.

Similar letters of reference denote like parts in all the views.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the main frame of the machine. Near the top is a chute B, through which the grain is deliv-- ered on the first grading roll or cylinder 0, the construction of which does not differ materially from those now in use for this purpose. Above the cylinder is a brush D, adapted to sweep back the surplus grain from the'surface of the cylinder, which is provided with a great number of receptacles, each about the size of an oat-grain and in which a certain number of such grains lodge as the cylinder revolves in the direction inthe bottom of the hopper and is thence spread by means of a spiral conveyer E on the grading-apron F. This apron embodies the main Serial No. 8.041. (No model.)

features of my in vention and will now be described in detail.

F F are rectangular frames provided with inwardly-projecting lugs F or the like to take bolts or screws and serve as a base for the grading-plates F which fit neatly in said frames. Each frame is provided with a pair of pivot-lugs F and a pair of hooks opposite thereto, which hooks F engage the'pivots of the adjacent frame. By this meansa skeleton of any desired length may be made for the apron. The plates F are provided with suitable bolt or screw holes F to register with those in the frames. The outer surface of each plate is provided with a great number of recesses or cells F each of a suitable size to receive a grain of oats, the cells being similar in form to those on the cylinders. (Not shown.) The apron so made is mounted on two pairs of sprocket-wheels G, attached to shafts H and H at the upper and lower ends, respectively, of a wooden framework I, inclosing the apron at the sides adjacent to the upper surface. The teeth of the sprockets, as will be seen, coincide with the spaces between the joints of the frames forming the apronskeleton, the joints of the frames at each side entering the spacesbetween the sprocket-teeth, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. The apron is set at an incline, and the grain is delivered to it toward the lower end. Near the upper end is a brush D, similar to that over the cylinder 0. t

' In practice it is found to be advantageous to run the grain through a series of graders inv order to secure the most complete and perfect separation of the same into sorts or grades. This is taken as a principle in the organization of the machine illustrated in the drawings. The parts already describedthat is to say, the cylinder-grader and the aprongrader below itare duplicated farther down the machine, the sorted product from one grader discharging on the one below successively and in a manner that need not be particularly described. By this arrangement and construction no less than four separations take place, a part of the grain being discharged through the hopper J and other grades through the exits K, L, and M. In the case of the lowermost apron the surplus grain is collected, not by a brush, but by a catcher N. This is in the nature of a shallow pan or scoop, with its open end extending toward the upper end of the apron and slitted into a series of flexible fingers N. This part of the catcher is also hinged to the body N as by a leather strip N the catcher being formed of thin sheet metal, such as tin. In the lower end of the catcher is a spiral conveyer N to discharge the grain so collected into the spout M. It is to be understood that the forward or upper end of this catcher rests lightly on or near the surface of the apron and many of the larger grains passing up 011 the apron under it spring up and fall back as they pass under its flexible fingers. These are caught in the scoop and conveyed to the outlet-spout, as already described.

The action of the aprons in grading may be considerably varied by changing the angle of inclination. This is doneby raising or depressing one end, as by means of the eyebolts 0 passing through the cross-beams A and coupling to the side bars I.

There is of course a tendency on the part of the dust arising from the agitation of the grain to collect in the grain-cells of the grading cylinders and aprons while such cells open upwardly and to sift out of them when opening downwardly. To carry away this dust, a conveyer P is mounted below one or more of the aprons and discharges its contents in the hopper J, together With a part of the grain rejected by the apron above. Another might be provided for the lower apron, if necessary; but in practice the most of the dust will be discharged from the upper apron.

Concurrent motion is imparted to the cylinders and aprons by a main drive-belt Q, and interconnecting belts R, S, and T in a manner so simple as to require no description. A much higher rate of speed is required of the brushes, and this may be efiected by means of a pinion on the brush-shaft and a gear on the sprocket-shaft, an idle gear being interposed to give the brush the same direction of rotation as the sprocket. The several spiral conveyors, as well as the dust-conveyer, may all be driven by a link belt U, taking the course indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1..v

Provision is made for the movement of the apron-frames on each other without gaping in passing over the sprockets. By reference to Fig. 5 it will be seen that one edge of each frame is semicylin drical, the periphery of the rounded edge being coincident with the piv ots at each side of the frame-4n other words, concentric therewith. The opposite edge of the frame is concave to receive this rounded edge, as shown by the adjoining frame in Fig. 5, a part of the concave being cut away off the under or inner side to allow for the movement around the sprockets. This construction admits of the skeleton being made of malleable iron or steel of light construction and the removable plates being made of any desired material and easily replaced should occasion demand it.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an oat-grader, an apron-skeleton, comprising a series of rectangular frames adapted to inclose a grader-plate, each frame having a rounded edge on one side and a concave edge on the opposite side, and having lateral pivot-lugs and hooks concentric with said rounded and concave edges, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In an oat-grader, an apron-skeleton, com prising a series of interlinking rectangular frames adapted to inclose a grader-plate, each frame having one rounded edge and a concave edge opposite thereto, a portion of the inner concave edge being removed to allow the frames to turn at an angle to each other, substantially as described.

3. In an oat-grader, the described plate-inclosing frame, having one of its longer sides rounded outwardly and the opposite side concave, lateral lugs and hooks concentric with said rounded and concave edges, and inwardly-projecting lugs to serve for the attachment of, and as a support for, a gradeuplate.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANCIS E. WALSH.

WVitnesses:

J. M. ST. JOHN, GEO. II. SMITH. 

